Brandon Green discusses the challenges he encounters in the food industry in his role at Ornua
Brandon Green is Group Technical and Supplier Assurance Manager at global dairy producer, Ornua Co-operative Limited. With an interest in food science and human physiology, he studied Sports and Exercise Science at the University of Lincoln with thoughts of becoming a physiotherapist or exercise physiologist, but a tip from his father set him on a different path.
“After university, I decided to pursue an opportunity in food manufacturing as a Quality Auditor at Greencore – my father is in the food industry and suggested I should give it a go whilst I considered my career options. I instantly loved the role: the fast-paced environment, dynamic challenges, and critical problem solving on a daily basis all appealed to me and I knew a career in the food industry was right for me.”
Brandon subsequently joined Nestlé Waters as a laboratory technician followed by a position in bakery with food manufacturing group, Bakkavor, as a Quality Assurance Manager. He then joined Ornua as a Quality Assurance Manager and quickly transitioned into the role of Technical Manager. “I have worked in Ornua for seven years as a Technical Manager across multiple sites, before transitioning to Quality Process Owner for Deployments, and I am now Group Technical and Supplier Assurance Manager. I am responsible for focusing on the development and deployment of the global technical and supplier assurance strategy for the group to support the needs and growth of the business.”
A typical workday, he believes, doesn’t exist in his role and is one of the reasons he enjoys his job so much. “I look at ways in which we can hone best practice, standardise practices and continually improve as a group. I also support Ornua’s food safety strategy, as well as managing key challenges day-to-day and providing quality assurance support for non-quality forums. I really enjoy collaborating and working with a diverse group of team members across our operations. I enjoy the ever-changing horizon, global mobility and being able to offer support, whilst also leveraging insight from across the group.”
Industry challenges
He cites labour turnover and skills shortages as challenges to maintaining a strong Food Safety Culture (FSC). “Lack of consistency in personnel can make it difficult to successfully deliver a FSC plan as a team: when there are changes in personnel we lose knowledge, business insight, business values understanding, training and development, and customer insights which can directly influence the way people think and impact their behaviour.” The organisation is addressing this through ongoing development of the global framework for food safety culture; ensuring employee engagement in culture surveys, and operationally investing in end-of-line packing automation across the business to allow upskilling and focus on more critical food safety touch points.
Externally, he believes that changing customer needs and security of supply pose increasing concerns for the food industry. “Evolving consumer behaviour, along with the market demand for more sustainable packaging solutions, has moved the industry into a position of uncertainty where, for example, new innovative packaging is being explored which must be both sustainable and maintain the safety and quality of the product whilst undergoing such changes.
“Food fraud also continues to be a challenge for the industry. In a year of extreme weather, ongoing trade disputes and cost-of-living pressures on consumers, the risk of food fraud has increased. Trying to source materials of the appropriate safety and quality with reduced availability, rising prices and new risks emerging is a definite challenge across the industry.”
Foreign body risks are an ongoing threat for public health and Ornua is investing in state-of-the-art safety systems such as X-ray imaging systems for foreign material detection. “These systems also utilise artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to increase inspection accuracy. AI systems are paving the way for increased evaluation efficiencies; they not only reduce the need for manual programming and adjustments of equipment but can also better differentiate lighting and contrast challenges to increase accuracy under such dynamic conditions. I strongly believe AI will be more readily available and will continue to integrate more and more within the food manufacturing space.”
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